Title: Red Peril 10/11
Author: Ceindreadh
Email: Ceindreadh@eircom.net
Website: n/a
Permission to archive: Yes to WWOMB, anybody else, please ask first.
Fandom(s): NCIS
Genre (general, hetero or slash) : slash/action
Rating: T
Warnings:
Disclaimer. I don't own the NCIS characters, I'm only borrowing them, and I promise to return them in minty fresh condition when I'm finished.
Notes:
"I want her processed immediately," snapped Gibbs. "Have legal send down somebody to get her confession drawn up and signed. No short cuts, I want everything done properly." He looked Jen square in the eye, "By the book, Director Shepherd...we don't want the perp getting off on a technicality now, do we?"
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[10]
Even though Gibbs would never have admitted it to anybody, he was somewhat shaken by the incident in Interrogation. When Jenny Shepherd had shown up as the new Director of N.C.I.S., Gibbs had wondered if she'd want to pick up where they'd left off. He'd hoped not, and a part of him had been secretly relieved when she'd pulled the 'on the job it's Director Shepherd or Ma'am...there is no off the job' crap on him. Of course he should have known it was too good to be true. Sure it had been a nice little stunt to pull, out in the open for everybody to see, the new Director, marking her territory and putting Gibbs in his place. Gibbs had completely approved. It was just a pity she hadn't followed through and kept the barriers in place between them.
It had started with little things. Her not correcting him when he used her first name. Coming out on a stakeout with him that very first night. Oh sure, he should have known better...should have realized that working together with her would only remind her of their previous stakeouts...and what they'd usually ended up doing after going off duty together. But he had fallen for her act and let it lull him into a false sense of security.
It was only a few months later when she made her first overt move, dropping hints about the Marine's birthday ball. Gibbs had deliberately ignored all her comments about how the next best thing to having a Marine escort her was having an ex-marine. He'd hoped that she'd take the hint, but instead she'd taken Ducky. Ah well, Gibbs had thought. Ducky was old enough to look after himself, and maybe Jen would find somebody else to play with at the ball.
But it hadn't worked like that. A few weeks later, Jenny had abandoned all pretence at subtlety and had invited Gibbs to accompany her to a Law Enforcement seminar. She'd been invited to speak on a panel and had suggested to Gibbs that it would benefit his career to attend as her guest. The way she'd patted her hair in its godawful cut, the way she'd said 'Jethro'...Gibbs just knew that she had an ulterior motive. And the way he told her that he had a prior engagement that weekend, he hoped he'd made it clear that he would have 'prior engagements' any and every time she'd try that stunt again.
Gibbs had honestly thought that she'd got the message, because she'd stopped with the glances and the attempts to see him outside of the office. But he had obviously misjudged her...she'd just been biding her time, and now Tony had paid the price for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Gibbs sighed heavily as he approached Tony's hospital room. He flashed his badge to the guard standing outside, and then pushed open the door.
Ducky was sitting in a chair beside the bed; his head slumped to his chest. But even as Gibbs approached him, his hand moved surreptitiously to his jacket pocket.
"At ease, Ducky," said Gibbs, softly. "It's just me." He nodded towards the bed where Tony appeared to be sleeping or unconscious. Gibbs couldn't really tell the difference. "How's he doing?"
Ducky stood up and stretched. "Really Jethro, you know you shouldn't sneak up on people like that." His hand moved away from the jacket, but not before Gibbs was able to see a stun gun tucked safely away.
"How's Tony?" repeated Gibbs.
Ducky glanced over at the bed. "Well as you can see, he's resting comfortably enough at the moment. That's what he needs most of all now. His bones will heal, his bruises will fade. He should make a full recovery from his injuries."
"There'll be no...permanent damage?"
"You mean his face?" Ducky shook his head, "I know it looks bad, but once the swelling's gone down and the sutures removed, he'll be preening himself in the mirror in no time."
Ducky glanced at Gibbs as he spoke, "I take it that the fiend responsible has been safely tucked away, otherwise you wouldn't be here."
Once Caffrey had named Director Shepherd as his employer, Gibbs had immediately phoned Ducky at the hospital. Ducky had been just as skeptical as Gibbs had been. "Really Jethro, you can't be serious. The man has to be lying to try and save his own skin."
"Maybe he is, Duck," Gibbs had said, "But I'm not taking any chances. If Jen shows up at the hospital, do what you have to do to keep her away from Tony. If she's not involved then she'll understand why we had to be careful...and if she *is* involved..."
"I understand," Ducky had said, although he hadn't really. He was convinced that it was all a terrible mistake, that Jenny was being used as a scapegoat, being framed somehow. It wouldn't be the first time it had happened to an N.C.I.S. agent, and he really couldn't conceive of any reason why she would be guilty of such a terrible crime. But the evidence was compelling, and she *had* been caught red-handed. Gibbs had contacted him again after Jenny had been caught paying off Caffrey, but that was the last he'd heard until Gibbs showed up in the hospital.
"She confessed to everything," said Gibbs, not taking his eyes off Tony. Even as he watched, Tony moved restlessly on the bed, pulling at the sling that was immobilizing his right arm, and muttering incoherently in his sleep. "Went a little nuts near the end." He shook his head; "She's probably setting herself up for a psych defense. A few years in a nice comfortable facility and then she'll be back on the streets as if nothing had happened."
"It's not all that easy to plead mental defect," said Ducky. "Without any prior history, a jury may not be easily swayed."
"That's assuming it gets to a trial," said Gibbs, anger clear on his face. "I've already had SecNav on my back dropping hints about the bad press a trial would bring. They just want to sweep things under the mat, make it all go away nice and quietly. I tell you Ducky, I won't stand for it. Tony's lying there with the crap beaten out of him and I'm not gonna tell him that the person behind it all is going to get away with it. I'll be damned if I'm part of any sort of cover up."
"Gibbs, I know you're not a political animal, but you need to pick your battles." Most people would have faltered under the glare Gibbs turned on him, but Ducky was made of sterner stuff. "I'm sure that nobody is suggesting a cover up."
"SecNav as much as told me that it would be better for all concerned if Jen received 'appropriate treatment' rather than serving time. They'll lock her up until the fuss has died down and then they'll quietly let her go. Hell, she'll probably even get her N.C.I.S. pension. And what does Tony get? Another stay in hospital, stuck on desk duty until his bones heal up, physiotherapy, psych evaluations...all because some crazy bitch couldn't take no for an answer." Gibbs saw the look of surprise on Ducky's face and sighed inwardly. "I'll tell you all about it later, Ducky. Right now...right now I think you should go home. You've been here over twenty four hours straight, you look like hell."
"Have you seen yourself in a mirror lately, Jethro?" asked Ducky. "Frankly I think Tony looks in better shape than you do at the moment."
"Go home, Ducky," said Gibbs, "I'll stay with Tony for a bit." He glanced over at Tony again, asking, "Has he been awake at all?"
"Oh yes," said Ducky. "He's had intermittent periods of consciousness during the last few hours. He wasn't really up to much conversation, but he was coherent enough, given the circumstances." Ducky paused briefly before continuing, "He seemed to have no recollection of the attack, but I decided it wasn't in his best interests to force the issue. I also felt it unwise to tell him who was behind it...at least not until there was incontrovertible proof."
Gibbs nodded, "You did right, Ducky. I...it's my responsibility...I'll tell him why this happened to him."
Ducky sighed as he pulled on his coat. "I still can't believe that Director Shepherd was behind all this. And for her to confess it all so easily. But I suppose with taped evidence...you're lucky she was sloppy enough not to check for wires."
"I'm even luckier she didn't ask to hear the evidence first," said Gibbs.
"You don't mean..."
A wry smile came over Gibbs's face, "Yeah, the tapes were blank. Apart from when we hooked him up, Caffrey never had a wire on him." He laughed hollowly, "First rule when you're being questioned. Don't confess to anything until you find out exactly what evidence they've got on you."
"Ah, this would be something you learned in your training, I take it."
"Close," said Gibbs, "From one too many sessions in detention!"
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Ducky paused at the door on his way out and looked back at Gibbs, "This wasn't your fault Jethro. Whatever Jenny might have said, you are not responsible for any action she may have taken. Try to remember that."
But by the look on Gibbs's face, Ducky could tell that he didn't believe him.
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To be concluded
Ceindreadh
Author's Chapter Notes:
The person responsible for Tony's attack is now in custody, and Gibbs can finally check on his guy.